PATIENT SATISFACTION REGARDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SERVICES AT COMBINED MILITARY HOSPITAL (CMH) LAHORE – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background:

To measure the level of satisfaction of the patients that present to the emergency department of CMH Lahore, as feedback from the patients themselves is the most reliable source of information regarding the healthcare system's shortcomings.

Material and Methods:

We conducted a cross sectional analytical study over 6 months at the accident and emergency A&E department of CMH Lahore. The investigators administered patients that presented to the A&E department self-designed questionnaires in a non-contrived setting and participants were enrolled using simple convenience sampling. Before conducting this definitive research, a pilot study was conducted where the time is taken to fill in the questionnaire and its practicality was accessed. The inclusion criteria included all patients presenting to the A&E department, over the age of 18 years, oriented in time, place and person. The patients that presented to all other departments, younger than 18 years and in a state of delirium, confusion and unconsciousness were excluded from the study.The questionnaire assessed demographic data, physical environment, accessibility, attitude of healthcare providers towards patients and overall satisfaction.

Results:

Among a total of 277 respondents, 67.9% were males and 32.1% were females. Maximum satisfaction was documented in the area of health care the professional's attitudes towards the patients where 81.6% were satisfied. There was a significant association between level of dissatisfaction and age with a p- value < 0.015 where 37.9% respondents were between 15-25 years of age. Patients who were overall satisfied with the A&E department were 88.8%.

Conclusion:

Patients were predominantly satisfied with the healthcare facilities provided at the A&E department other than a few basic facilities including physical environment and information regarding prescribed medicine